The Small Back Room (1949)

Directors:

Michael Powell
Emeric Pressburger

Writers:

Nigel Balchin (novel)
Michael Powell (writer) ...

Release Date:

23 February 1952 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Romance | Thriller | War

Plot:

As the Germans drop explosive booby-traps on 1943 England, the embittered expert who'll have to disarm them fights a private battle with alcohol.

Plot Keywords:

Pain | Bomb | Bomb Disposal | Booby Trap | Suspense

Awards:

Nominated for BAFTA Film Award.

Cast

David Farrar	...	Sammy Rice
Kathleen Byron	...	Susan
Jack Hawkins	...	R.B. Waring
Leslie Banks	...	Col. A.K. Holland
Michael Gough	...	Capt. Dick Stuart
Cyril Cusack	...	Cpl. Taylor
Milton Rosmer	...	Prof. Mair
Walter Fitzgerald	...	Brine
Emrys Jones	...	Joe
Michael Goodliffe	...	Till
Renée Asherson	...	A.T.S. corporal
Anthony Bushell	...	Col. Strang
Henry Caine	...	Sgt. Maj. Rose
Elwyn Brook-Jones	...	Gladwin
James Dale	...	Brigadier

Also Known As:

Hour of Glory (USA)

Runtime:

106 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Certification:

Finland:S | UK:A | Sweden:15

Filming Locations:

Chesil Bank, Dorset, England, UK

Company:

Archers, The

Trivia:

Cameo: [Robert Morley]A Guest.

Goofs:

Boom mic visible: A little over 75 minutes into the film, during the scene where the character of Sammy Rice trashes his sitting room, the shadow of the boom mic can be seen reflected in the empty picture frame in the foreground of the shot.

Quotes:

Susan: Where were you going Sammy?
Sammy Rice: I don't know.
Susan: A woman?
Sammy Rice: Maybe.
Susan: How about me?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Taxi Driver (1976)

Soundtrack:

Night Club Music

Brooding Tale of Redemption

This film is an interesting return to the general subject matter of Powell and Pressburger's black and white war films (49th Parallel, One of our Aircraft, etc..), but, made four years after the end of the war, it is a moody piece that focuses on a man disabled by the war. It is typical of their work in that it features brilliantly well-rounded, truly adult characters without easy answers or one-dimensional poses; it is also a departure from their other films of the period in its lack of flamboyance and otherworldly flair. The gritty style - no music, for example, and wonderfully spare dialogue by Pressburger - is perfectly echoed by the intense performances of Kathleen Byron and David Farrar. As always, Powell's keen visual sense is paramount to the brilliance of the Archers' films, and the bomb-defusing scene on the beach makes great use of the setting in its compositions and editing. Although it is not the best introduction to the work of Powell and Pressburger, this film is a keen testament to the capacity of their storytelling abilities in weaving a tale of a man who finds redemption through work and love. Whether their films are explorations of the power of art or the effects of war, I consistently find their work profoundly moving. Let's hope that it is FINALLY released on video or, better still, DVD. (Attention, Scorcese!!!!)